It was a festive time, wine tasting in the barrel room at Warr-King Wines, Woodinville, Washington, with Lisa Warr-King Packer, the winemaker, describing the process and nuances of blends. Lisa mentioned her interest in the early days of ancient wine making using terra-cotta clay fermenting vessels, amphorae. She also mentioned that an intern had promised to make her some amphorae to try the ancient process. Returning to the winery two years later, I asked her if she had had the opportunity to use an amphora to try it out. Unfortunately, the intern completed his work and left the Pacific Northwest without providing the clay vessels. An idea was born to give her a wheel-thrown terra-cotta gift.
Ancient amphorae discovered at Pompeii, Italy, under 20 feet of ash from an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. These date from before 79 CE, and were used for wine storage and transport across the Tyrrhenian sea. Photo (stock.adobe.com). Photo: Oleg Ivano.
Research Process
I began reading about ancient winemakers and the terra-cotta amphorae they used, slowly assembling facts about the clay and the firing methods of the day. The process meant to ferment and store wine is thousands of years old, yet little was recorded about the amphora-making process. A few modern-day articles explained that the chemistry of wine making involves the release of carbon dioxide, heat, and alcohol from the fermenting grapes. Beginning in medieval times, oak barrels provided for wine storage, but what about the clay vessels before them? How did they allow for carbon dioxide and heat release while the alcohol and wine remained intact?
Ancient amphorae discovered at Pompeii, Italy, under 20 feet of ash from an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. These date from before 79 CE, and were used for wine storage and transport across the Tyrrhenian sea. Photo (stock.adobe.com). Above: Magdalena Paluchowska.
Wood fires were used to harden pottery from at least 5000 years ago, so it could not have been a very high-fire process. Further reading revealed that terra cotta can vitrify yet still allow for gas exchange at what today is considered low-firing temperatures. A temperature of 1000°F (538°C) will harden terra cotta, but temperatures above 1900°F (1038°C) are required to remove chemicals from the clay to make it food safe. Compared to oak barrels, the clay vessel requires a longer period of time for the wine to age, but this has the benefit of resulting in smoother, more flavorful, and less acidic taste!
A Modern Approach
After studying photos of amphorae found at Pompeii, Italy, that were left intact by burial in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, I secured some terra-cotta clay (Redart Terra Cotta from Seattle Pottery Supply) and began to make some vessels. It took a few passes to become familiar with the clay, as I had been throwing vessels with stoneware and porcelain for the last 10 years. I made a short, wide vessel similar to one I had photographed in the Pompeii ruins. I intended to give this vessel to Lisa, but I did not think it was my best work and kept it to store my wine, allowing it to breathe after opening bottles at home. Feeling bolder, I wedged 10 pounds of terra cotta and decided to dive in after watching videos of more experienced potters throwing large amounts of clay. Centering took about 15 minutes (1), but the clay was reasonably smooth and I opened the clay and compressed the narrow bottom, allowing ½ inch of clay to remain as the floor of the vessel (2).
Pulling the walls was a challenge since, for me, this was a lot of clay to move. Standing over my wheel after three pulls and bracing my elbows into the sides of my rib cage produced straight walls and gave me the leverage to lift the clay from the wheel head to the top of the rising clay cylinder (3). This process got easier with each vessel I made over a 5-day period. Ultimately, 10 pounds of clay produced a cylinder roughly 30-inches tall and 6–8 inches wide. After compressing the wall with a long nylon rib to create a straight line (4), I shaped the form to an angular wall—narrow at the bottom, broader toward the top—using a hand inside the vessel to push the clay outward against a short wooden rib (5).
The shape of the vessel is important in wine storage since the narrow base and broad shoulder area creates a flow of current as the wine ferments, which naturally stirs the liquid.
At a point about ⅔ the height of the cylinder, I formed a shoulder, moving excess clay upward to create a narrower neck above the shoulder that would serve as the opening of the amphora (6). Pull the top portion higher to thin it (7). I made the opening 5 inches wide, thinking the winemaker would need to pull samples occasionally to test the wine-fermenting process.
Trimming the top level (8), I created a gallery for a lid (9), wire cut the bottom, and then let it dry under plastic sheeting. During the drying time, I pulled two handles to attach to the amphora from the neck to the shoulder on two sides, thinking this was traditional decoration. Wrong! They’re not just for decoration. Sturdy handles (10, 11) are critical to lifting and moving the amphorae; when filled with wine, they weigh approximately 10 pounds per gallon.
Finally, a well-fitting lid with a hefty knob was thrown to fit on the gallery (12).
Drying and Firing
Living in Seattle, Washington, where it is wet about 8 months of the year, drying an amphora to bone dry took a full 20 days. I learned to keep loose plastic covering over my work years ago to avoid cracking the softer clays. The lid was dried partly on its own and partly sitting in its gallery to encourage the shrinkage to match that of the clay vessel.
Something about the firing process aids the ability of amphorae to breathe without leaking. It is imperative to bisque fire, then allow the vessel to completely cool before firing again to the final temperature, rather than single firing. I am still a student here, so I cannot fully explain why this is so.
I do not glaze my amphora, to keep them authentic looking. I bisque fire the terra cotta to cone 010, and final fire to cone 1, slightly above 2000°F (1093°C).
Safety Assurance
Since I intended to give the amphora to the winemaker, I had to be sure the vessel is food safe. Not wanting to assume anything, I researched requirements to assure such safety in a handmade, non-industrial product. The US Food and Drug Administration is responsible for food safety and has established standards for food containers that are codified in the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) and ASTM International Standards. “Food Ware” is subject to the requirements of ASTM Standard C738-94 with the intent of eliminating consumption of harmful toxins.
After completing the final firing of an amphora, I had a local licensed testing facility test it to assure compliance with ASTM C738-94 and other FDA standard requirements. The testing procedure required 24 hours of soaking in a test solution, followed by chemical analysis of the solution for toxins above federally approved safety levels. Results revealed that as made with my clay and firing conditions, the terra-cotta amphora is safe for storing food for human consumption.
Next Steps
Lisa now has her first amphora on display, waiting for the spring harvest crush to begin testing wine fermentation and aging in clay. I have an invitation to sample the first release when it is ready.
I continue to make amphorae, throwing larger size and capacity vessels, and occasionally enjoying bottled wine aged in my home amphora. Comparing amphora-aged wine to bottled wine, I taste more flavor, some “earthy notes and hints of pepper” as the professionals say. Try it and see what you taste!
Harlan Falkin is a Seattle-based potter who, for the last 12 years, has primarily made functional pottery and home décor. To see more of his work, visit local galleries, view on Etsy @FalkinPottery, or find him on Instagram @FalkinPottery.
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It was a festive time, wine tasting in the barrel room at Warr-King Wines, Woodinville, Washington, with Lisa Warr-King Packer, the winemaker, describing the process and nuances of blends. Lisa mentioned her interest in the early days of ancient wine making using terra-cotta clay fermenting vessels, amphorae. She also mentioned that an intern had promised to make her some amphorae to try the ancient process. Returning to the winery two years later, I asked her if she had had the opportunity to use an amphora to try it out. Unfortunately, the intern completed his work and left the Pacific Northwest without providing the clay vessels. An idea was born to give her a wheel-thrown terra-cotta gift.
Ancient amphorae discovered at Pompeii, Italy, under 20 feet of ash from an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. These date from before 79 CE, and were used for wine storage and transport across the Tyrrhenian sea. Photo (stock.adobe.com). Photo: Oleg Ivano.
Research Process
I began reading about ancient winemakers and the terra-cotta amphorae they used, slowly assembling facts about the clay and the firing methods of the day. The process meant to ferment and store wine is thousands of years old, yet little was recorded about the amphora-making process. A few modern-day articles explained that the chemistry of wine making involves the release of carbon dioxide, heat, and alcohol from the fermenting grapes. Beginning in medieval times, oak barrels provided for wine storage, but what about the clay vessels before them? How did they allow for carbon dioxide and heat release while the alcohol and wine remained intact?
Ancient amphorae discovered at Pompeii, Italy, under 20 feet of ash from an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. These date from before 79 CE, and were used for wine storage and transport across the Tyrrhenian sea. Photo (stock.adobe.com). Above: Magdalena Paluchowska.
Wood fires were used to harden pottery from at least 5000 years ago, so it could not have been a very high-fire process. Further reading revealed that terra cotta can vitrify yet still allow for gas exchange at what today is considered low-firing temperatures. A temperature of 1000°F (538°C) will harden terra cotta, but temperatures above 1900°F (1038°C) are required to remove chemicals from the clay to make it food safe. Compared to oak barrels, the clay vessel requires a longer period of time for the wine to age, but this has the benefit of resulting in smoother, more flavorful, and less acidic taste!
A Modern Approach
After studying photos of amphorae found at Pompeii, Italy, that were left intact by burial in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, I secured some terra-cotta clay (Redart Terra Cotta from Seattle Pottery Supply) and began to make some vessels. It took a few passes to become familiar with the clay, as I had been throwing vessels with stoneware and porcelain for the last 10 years. I made a short, wide vessel similar to one I had photographed in the Pompeii ruins. I intended to give this vessel to Lisa, but I did not think it was my best work and kept it to store my wine, allowing it to breathe after opening bottles at home. Feeling bolder, I wedged 10 pounds of terra cotta and decided to dive in after watching videos of more experienced potters throwing large amounts of clay. Centering took about 15 minutes (1), but the clay was reasonably smooth and I opened the clay and compressed the narrow bottom, allowing ½ inch of clay to remain as the floor of the vessel (2).
Pulling the walls was a challenge since, for me, this was a lot of clay to move. Standing over my wheel after three pulls and bracing my elbows into the sides of my rib cage produced straight walls and gave me the leverage to lift the clay from the wheel head to the top of the rising clay cylinder (3). This process got easier with each vessel I made over a 5-day period. Ultimately, 10 pounds of clay produced a cylinder roughly 30-inches tall and 6–8 inches wide. After compressing the wall with a long nylon rib to create a straight line (4), I shaped the form to an angular wall—narrow at the bottom, broader toward the top—using a hand inside the vessel to push the clay outward against a short wooden rib (5).
The shape of the vessel is important in wine storage since the narrow base and broad shoulder area creates a flow of current as the wine ferments, which naturally stirs the liquid.
At a point about ⅔ the height of the cylinder, I formed a shoulder, moving excess clay upward to create a narrower neck above the shoulder that would serve as the opening of the amphora (6). Pull the top portion higher to thin it (7). I made the opening 5 inches wide, thinking the winemaker would need to pull samples occasionally to test the wine-fermenting process.
Trimming the top level (8), I created a gallery for a lid (9), wire cut the bottom, and then let it dry under plastic sheeting. During the drying time, I pulled two handles to attach to the amphora from the neck to the shoulder on two sides, thinking this was traditional decoration. Wrong! They’re not just for decoration. Sturdy handles (10, 11) are critical to lifting and moving the amphorae; when filled with wine, they weigh approximately 10 pounds per gallon.
Finally, a well-fitting lid with a hefty knob was thrown to fit on the gallery (12).
Drying and Firing
Living in Seattle, Washington, where it is wet about 8 months of the year, drying an amphora to bone dry took a full 20 days. I learned to keep loose plastic covering over my work years ago to avoid cracking the softer clays. The lid was dried partly on its own and partly sitting in its gallery to encourage the shrinkage to match that of the clay vessel.
Something about the firing process aids the ability of amphorae to breathe without leaking. It is imperative to bisque fire, then allow the vessel to completely cool before firing again to the final temperature, rather than single firing. I am still a student here, so I cannot fully explain why this is so.
I do not glaze my amphora, to keep them authentic looking. I bisque fire the terra cotta to cone 010, and final fire to cone 1, slightly above 2000°F (1093°C).
Safety Assurance
Since I intended to give the amphora to the winemaker, I had to be sure the vessel is food safe. Not wanting to assume anything, I researched requirements to assure such safety in a handmade, non-industrial product. The US Food and Drug Administration is responsible for food safety and has established standards for food containers that are codified in the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) and ASTM International Standards. “Food Ware” is subject to the requirements of ASTM Standard C738-94 with the intent of eliminating consumption of harmful toxins.
After completing the final firing of an amphora, I had a local licensed testing facility test it to assure compliance with ASTM C738-94 and other FDA standard requirements. The testing procedure required 24 hours of soaking in a test solution, followed by chemical analysis of the solution for toxins above federally approved safety levels. Results revealed that as made with my clay and firing conditions, the terra-cotta amphora is safe for storing food for human consumption.
Next Steps
Lisa now has her first amphora on display, waiting for the spring harvest crush to begin testing wine fermentation and aging in clay. I have an invitation to sample the first release when it is ready.
I continue to make amphorae, throwing larger size and capacity vessels, and occasionally enjoying bottled wine aged in my home amphora. Comparing amphora-aged wine to bottled wine, I taste more flavor, some “earthy notes and hints of pepper” as the professionals say. Try it and see what you taste!
Harlan Falkin is a Seattle-based potter who, for the last 12 years, has primarily made functional pottery and home décor. To see more of his work, visit local galleries, view on Etsy @FalkinPottery, or find him on Instagram @FalkinPottery.
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